RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

I realize that this question has been posed by others, but there is not often a good resolution to this in other posts. We have an iPhone 6 and 8 here at home, which is a 3-story townhouse, and the three satellite Orbi system is rather decent most of the time (we do get issues on the WiFi, kinda slows or drops at times...but, that is another issue). The router and modem are installed in my office on the 3rd floor, with a satellite installed on the other two floors (I have the second floor satellite installed on the opposite end of the place, and 1st floor unit is nearly on top of the 3rd floor Orbi router, but off by about 15 feet (if you can kinda picture that...). I have the latest firmware installed (V2.3.1.44) as well.

The issue that we have with both cellphones is that the WiFi Calling rarely works. You see it connect once in awhile, but, most of the time it is not connected. I have tried playing with all of the settings per other posts here, but, nothing seems to work. After changing the router settings, and re-booting, had tried re-booting the iPhones as well.

Here is what I have at the moment for the Orbi configuration:

Advanced Wireless Setup - Enabled Beamforming and MU-MIMO, Fast Roaming is off; I have DISABLED Daisy-Chain Topology per someones else's post on this issue; for both 2.4 and 5G, I have set the CTS/RTS Threshold to 2200 (was previously set at 2347) and set to Long Preamble (had previously used Automatic); Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence is on

Wireless Setup - 2.4Ghz channel is set to 6 and the 5Ghz channel is currently 44 (have tried all of them...); I use WPA2-PSK [AES]

Also, have no idea if this matters, but on the WAN SETUP page, the Disable SIP ALG is checked (default I assume?)

My provider is Spectrum if it matters, and have a fast connection (up to 200+ usually), and use my own cable modem, which is a Linksys CM3024. Both iPhones have the latest IOS version as well.

I had tried changing channels (both phones use the 5GHz connection), and every combination of the Beamforming/MU-MIMO/FastRoaming, among other shots in the dark. If anyone has any recommendations or suggestions, outside of throwing the phones against the wall... much appreciated!

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

You’re not going to want to hear this, but I’d probably start from scratch with a full factory reset . Don’t break band steering. Disable daisychain if you don’t need it. I’ve disabled 20/40 coexistence here. Enable all 3 of the advanced wireless features. See if just doing this much fixes your WiFi calling. It did for me. When doing the full reset, I’d turn off ALL wireless devices and leave all wired devices disconnected. Use the paper clip method to reset the Orbi. Router first and then satellite. As for which 5GHz channel to pick, the best way to know is by using a tool that can do a site survey. Android benefits by having a wonderful app called WiFi analyzer.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

You’re not going to want to hear this, but I’d probably start from scratch with a full factory reset . Don’t break band steering. Disable daisychain if you don’t need it. I’ve disabled 20/40 coexistence here. Enable all 3 of the advanced wireless features. See if just doing this much fixes your WiFi calling. It did for me. When doing the full reset, I’d turn off ALL wireless devices and leave all wired devices disconnected. Use the paper clip method to reset the Orbi. Router first and then satellite. As for which 5GHz channel to pick, the best way to know is by using a tool that can do a site survey. Android benefits by having a wonderful app called WiFi analyzer.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

What the FW updated via Auto update or manually loaded? What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft? What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between them to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.

Ensure that beamforming and mimo and WMM are enabled. You can disable Daisy Chain.

Leave all other settings at default, this would include SIP ALG after you do the factory reset....

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Many thanks for the reply and the guidance. I have everything in place and will need to do the factory reset in the coming days (once I have a couple of hours and the wife is not home working... in case something screws up and need more to make it right).

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Do appreciate your guidance, and will do the factory reset shortly (once I have time set aside in case something happens with this).

I do the automatic updates on for the Orbi router and the two satellites. The townhouse is about 2050 sqf, over 3 floors. The router is about 35 - 40 feet away from the satellite on the 2nd floor (with some walls in between), and about the same from the satellite on the 1st floor (with two floors and a wall in between). I had actually set the power on the 5Ghz to 75% (per another post on WiFi issues last year) and it seemed to help in devices connecting properly. The 2.4 is set to full power, with no issues there. Have had problems trying to find an IOS app with tells me the channels in use in my area, but, will reload a Windows desktop app to a laptop that I had used before (the name escapes me) to check which ones are not overloaded.

I use my own cable modem (about a year old), which is a Linksys CM3024.

Will let everyone know the results of the factory reset shortly, have already made the other changes (no affect obviously).

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Let us know how it goes after a reset. Be sure Beamforming is enabled and Daisy Chain is disabled after the reset. You can try enabling or disabling Fast Roaming to see if this doesn't anything different.

FYI, your ISP modem is a modem only and thats good, however it's Intel chipset based and Puma 6. There are known problems with modems with Intel chip sets built in:

Do appreciate your guidance, and will do the factory reset shortly (once I have time set aside in case something happens with this).

I do the automatic updates on for the Orbi router and the two satellites. The townhouse is about 2050 sqf, over 3 floors. The router is about 35 - 40 feet away from the satellite on the 2nd floor (with some walls in between), and about the same from the satellite on the 1st floor (with two floors and a wall in between). I had actually set the power on the 5Ghz to 75% (per another post on WiFi issues last year) and it seemed to help in devices connecting properly. The 2.4 is set to full power, with no issues there. Have had problems trying to find an IOS app with tells me the channels in use in my area, but, will reload a Windows desktop app to a laptop that I had used before (the name escapes me) to check which ones are not overloaded.

I use my own cable modem (about a year old), which is a Linksys CM3024.

Will let everyone know the results of the factory reset shortly, have already made the other changes (no affect obviously).

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Doesn’t matter. I’ve seen what an unstable or an inadequate WiFi router design can do to WiFi calling, which is to render it useless. If one relies on WiFi calling because of poor cellular coverage, the only solution is to fix the WiFi issue. Orbi has been that solution for me.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

One can get a home microcell as well if the default cell services are bad in ones area. Like mine. I've had to get one. Works well for these cases as an alternative connection method.

And in fact just recently I became aware ATT sells a Netgear product for this very purpose. The one thing that would make this a technically superior solution is call handoff. On ATT's network, you cannot transition an HD Voice call to 4G if that's the only signal your phone can reach. I believe swapping from LTE to 4G and back is okay.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

I have AT&T, and am in the Los Angeles metro area, so, we should be saturated in connectivy here...

And, with all of the tweaks from the great guidance I have gotten here (many thanks to all), the WiFi Calling seems to be on much more, but still drops when I walk around the house (our 2,050 sqf mansion...), but, definitely better. I had cycled the power on everything last night, both phones, router, cable modem, just to err on the safe side.

My wife has a home-based bookkeeping business, so am awaiting her completing some clients tax data before I do a factory reset on the router (I am more cautious in my middle age now... else you may be reading about a wife murdering a husband in his sleep after he messed up the Internet access at the worst possible time!).

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Actually, that is why I moved to Wifi Calling, had no choice when my MicroCell failed a few weeks ago (the patient has died apparently - the unit flashes a status indicator light that indicates that the unit needs to be replaced - tried Googling around looking for some way to fix this with no luck). AT&T was no help and mentioned that they no longer sell these units, and no successor is planned, so had to move to WiFi Calling.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

I have the 1st generation one as well, it worked great for years, but did have to replace the power supply a year ago. I looked around for working units on eBay, but, wow, expensive. And according to AT&T they will eventually stop supporting these MicroCells eventually, but they pushed off their termination date to TBD.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Are you thinking of the NETGEARNighthawk LTE Mobile Hotspot Router or the Unite Express 2?

It was the former. But I had the distinct impression ATT didn't want to support microcells either, but the Netgear one was still being supported.

I do expect though you will be able to stabilize WiFi calling once you can get time to reset the Orbi.

Also suggest looking into disabling auto update, although I'm a bit suspicious it actually can be made to not auto update as some users have been ambushed. I will only be able to tell once I see notice of the next firmware being available and whether or not the devices will manage to stay put.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

I lived in a crowded area (is there any area in LA that is not?), and there are at least 5 or 6 other networks that I can see, and sometimes more. Most of the crowding seems to be on the 2.4Ghz band, and was able to adjust the channels before (and most of my devices here at home are on this), but the two iPhones are on 5Ghz connections, which are much less crowded (but I cannot see which channels others are using). We have a PC on the first floor which has 2.4Ghz antenna only (I tried a 5Ghz dongle last year, what a piece of crap, dropped way too often), but even with one of the Orbi satellites being about 7 - 8 feet away (small room) the PC's Internet connection would drop out once in awhile, as would a Roku stick in that room. So, used an Ethernet connection from that PC to the satellite, and that fixed everything, even the Roku is more stable (but does drop once in awhile), go figure.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Since you have a home business and constantly having WiFi calling drops, might want to check out Ooma Telo box, which is VOIP, cost less than $5 a month. With Ooma Telo, you can hook it up to your cell via bluetooth or regular landline or wireless home phones. It's a plug and forget. It works well for me.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

Thanks for the tip on the Ooma, have seen those, but always shied away from them for some reason. If the factory reset does not solve the issue shortly, I may try either the Ooma or the Netgear Mobile Hotspot Router mentioned earlier.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

I lived in a crowded area (is there any area in LA that is not?), and there are at least 5 or 6 other networks that I can see, and sometimes more. Most of the crowding seems to be on the 2.4Ghz band, and was able to adjust the channels before (and most of my devices here at home are on this), but the two iPhones are on 5Ghz connections, which are much less crowded (but I cannot see which channels others are using). We have a PC on the first floor which has 2.4Ghz antenna only (I tried a 5Ghz dongle last year, what a piece of crap, dropped way too often), but even with one of the Orbi satellites being about 7 - 8 feet away (small room) the PC's Internet connection would drop out once in awhile, as would a Roku stick in that room. So, used an Ethernet connection from that PC to the satellite, and that fixed everything, even the Roku is more stable (but does drop once in awhile), go figure.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

The issue that we have with both cellphones is that the WiFi Calling rarely works. You see it connect once in awhile, but, most of the time it is not connected.

.........

It depends on your cellular operator. Most operators currently set their networks to "cellular preferred" which means that as long as you have good 4G coverage wifi calling will be disabled.

There are also operators who leave this to the devices to choose, so check in your phone under >> Mobile Data >> Wi-Fi Calling >> if there is a setting to choose if wifi calling or cellular is preferred.

To verify that wifi calling is properly working in your home, just set your phone to "Flight Mode" and activate wifi. Only in this case wifi Calling should continue to be active. If it is then there is nothing wrong with Orbi.

Re: RBR50 - WiFI Calling Rarely Works

@MrMediaGuy had a good suggestion for a tool he used to identy his WiFi issue with the Orbi. It might help identify WiFi jitter issue with your Orbi setup, which could cause the drops. You can give a try with your phone and see if you are seeing a lot of RED xx's.